Okumura MASANOBU (1686-1764)

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The fifth month from a set of twelve prints Someiro no yama: Neya no hinagata, “Mountains of Dyed Colours: Patterns for the Bedroom.” A haiku poem relating to the time of year on each design. Published c. 1740. Shows a couple in flagrante in a room with sliding doors painted with images of Mount Fuji and the poet Ariwara no Narihira admiring the mountain. One of the great Shunga sets with fine contemporary hand-colouring: The careful colouring on impressions from this set was obviously carried out by skilled artisans and is exceptional with the sumi screens being almost painterly: Colouring is often later on early shunga prints, and even if contemporary can be slipshod. Masanobu was a great innovator, developing new formats and technical advances. Unidentified collector’s seal bottom left. Rare.

Very good impression. Slight weakening along laid lines, otherwise very good condition.

Status: Sold